The Congressmembers Were Joined By Mayors Kazmark, Damiano, NJDEP Commissioner LaTourette, and Colonel Matthew W. Luzzatto As Well As Other Local Partners
Little Falls, NJ–– Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Bill Pascrell (NJ-09) hosted a press conference today with Little Falls Mayor James Damiano, Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, and Colonel Matthew W. Luzzatto of the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to highlight the recent announcement that the Peckman River Basin Project, which will help address and mitigate flooding in the area, will be federally funded.
"Touring Jackson Street in Little Falls after the remnants of Hurricane Ida blew through North Jersey and the Peckman River flooded was completely devastating. These families' lives and homes are consistently upended and many are still recovering from Ida today. Unfortunately for NJ-11, the fallout of major flooding disasters was not new to us," said Rep. Sherrill. "But today, we turn a corner for the quality of life and wellbeing of our community. I worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure a finalized Chief's Report for this project and full congressional authorization of spending, to eliminate administrative barriers and start forward progress. I am grateful for their partnership in this effort. Because of that work, when the Ida Disaster Supplement was passed, this project was in the perfect stage to be funded. I want to thank Rep. Pascrell, Mayors Kazmark and Damiano, and NJDEP for their support and efforts that helped make this possible. This isn't just a climate issue. This is a health, safety, and economic issue and today critical federal resources are coming to North Jersey to address this historic problem."
"New Jerseyans are no strangers to natural disaster. From Superstorm Sandy to Hurricane Ida, we know the tragedy of flooding in our communities and the financial havoc that results. Today I am proud as hell to announce with Congresswoman Sherrill $146 million for flood prevention and $6 million for disaster relief investigations in North Jersey. This is a big deal for our state," said Rep. Pascrell. "These funds for the Peckman River flood prevention project come directly from President Biden's infrastructure bill and the hurricane disaster supplemental our Democratic Congress passed last year. I first got the Army Corps involved at Peckman years ago so we could implement the best flood prevention methods possible. Today, thanks to President Biden and our Democratic Congress, we finally have the funds needed to complete this lifesaving project. Let's get this thing done."
"The federal funding of the Peckman River Flood Mitigation project is remarkable! This is a long term and permanent solution that will provide so many residents of Little Falls the relief that they deserve," said James Damiano, Mayor of the Township of Little Falls. "No longer will the residents in the Jackson Park section of town need to live in fear that their homes, their belongings, or their lives are in danger from the Peckman River. Since I was elected five years ago, so many long-time residents of Little Falls told me this project would never happen after seeing almost 25 years worth of studies. Now, this project is a reality, and I can't thank Congresswoman Sherrill and her staff enough for their tireless work with us to make this a reality."
"I think many in our communities were very unsure that this day would ever come. That the funding for this life or death project would ever actually be allocated to pay for this project. Well the day has come and we thank Rep. Sherrill, Rep. Pascrell, Sens. Menendez and Booker and the Army Corps. of Engineers for their efforts in getting the Peckman River flood mitigation project to this point. Our residents who are impacted by flooding appreciate that something will finally get done," said Keith Kazmark, Mayor of the Borough of Woodland Park.
"New York District looks forward to continuing our work on the Peckman River Study—which includes building upon the data from prior studies and working with our stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels to bring this project to fruition," said Col. Matthew W. Luzzatto, commander, New York District. "Additional funding will allow us to begin preliminary engineering design and continue coordination with our partners in Little Falls, Woodland Park, and NJDEP as we work together to develop and implement tangible flood risk reduction measures for the residents of these communities."
"Just a few months after the remnants of Hurricane Ida tore through New Jersey causing widespread damage to homes and businesses alongside the Peckman River, I am proud to announce this federal funding that will help jumpstart a critical project to mitigate flooding risks and provide long-overdue relief to nearby residents," said Senator Cory Booker. "This project is the result of close collaboration between federal, state, and local officials, and I am especially grateful for the partnership that has been displayed to make today's announcement a reality."
"I'm proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to secure this funding, which will ensure our state has the resources to complete the Peckman River Basin Project and other critical projects across New Jersey. As we experience the effects of climate change with greater storms and flooding, we must invest in mitigation projects to protect our communities and families," said Senator Bob Menendez.
"To best protect New Jersey communities from worsening extreme weather and flooding, we need a diverse portfolio of strategies that include big infrastructure investments like the Peckman River project, more intentional local stormwater management, and regional watershed restoration that creates additional flood storage," said New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette."Governor Murphy and I are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for advancing this critical project, and for the continued advocacy of Representatives Mikie Sherrill and Bill Pascrell who have ensured that Washington D.C. responds to our communities' needs. DEP will work hard alongside the Army Corps and Mayors Kazmark and Damiano to accelerate the completion of these critically needed projects."
After personally touring the devastation in Woodland Park and Little Falls in the aftermath of Ida and speaking with those whose lives were turned upside down by this storm, Rep. Sherrill petitioned the Biden Administration for full federal funding for the Peckman River Basin project. Additionally, at Rep. Sherrill's request, the Peckman River Basin project was authorized for construction in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. Read more about the project here.
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